The biometric services will be facilitated at self-service baggage touchpoints, immigration e-gates, and boarding gates. After that, it will be applied across all passenger touchpoints in the airport.

It is the first phase of deploying a hi-tech next-gen biometric service initiated at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, wherein travellers will use their faces to receive a boarding pass and get other services.

NEXT50, an Abu Dhabi-based tech company alongside IDEMIA and SITA, will introduce its avant-garde AI solutions at certain self-service baggage touchpoints, immigration e-gates, and boarding gates. This new technology will ease the travellers‘ journey and make Midfield Terminal Building the first international airport with biometric services at all customer touchpoints.

NEXT50 CEO Ibrahim Al Mannaee emphasized that the biometrics project is a part of the Emirate’s digital transformation vision. According to him, once the project is fully implemented, Midfield Terminal Building will be the only airport in the entire region with biometric solutions available across all customer touchpoints, adding to Abu Dhabi Airport’s vision to be the operator of the most technology-driven airport in the world, offering a smooth journey to all its travellers. He also expressed that NEXT50 is proud to join with IDEMIA and SITA and offer expertise in artificial intelligence and data sciences for successful implementation.

Once the project is completed, it will offer passengers an easy, contactless and hygienic process from ‘curb to gate.’ This will lead to fewer wait times for travellers.

Eng Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, the MD and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, expressed that the phase one deployment of advanced biometrics further strengthens their resolve to build the future of airport experiences by offering innovation and technology that induces efficiency, ease and excellent service. On completion of the project, Abu Dhabi will become the home to the world’s first airport to offer every touch point in the biometric journey, offering passengers a smooth, safe and secure travel experience.

The systems will deploy hi-tech biometric cameras to verify travellers’ details along certain touchpoints in the airport: the self-service baggage drop, passport control, business class lounge, and boarding gates.

Hani El Assaad, president of Middle East and Africa, SITA, said that the airport would provide safe, smooth, and easy travel with every step of the way. He believes that this latest deployment demonstrates the power of Smart Path to provide a smooth journey where a traveller’s face becomes their boarding pass, right from check-in to boarding.

Osama Al Makharmeh, executive director of IDEMIA, UAE, commented on the biometrics project and said that this partnership manifests contactless biometric technology that provides users with an unmatched airport experience without letting up one jot on security. This bears out the potential to consistently innovate to safeguard travellers’ trust and help make way for even more convenient and more secure future travel.